RBC | Rio Blanco County Commissioners agreed to appoint Rose Pugliese as county attorney, replacing Don Steerman, who opted not to renew his bid for the position. Pugliese is a former Mesa County Commissioner (2013-2021) and most recently served as the Colorado House Minority Leader from House District 14. She resigned that seat in September and announced her intention to return to Mesa County. She is also the county attorney for Prowers County, and will continue that role.
Pugliese was one of four candidates interviewed for the position out of six applications received. “We had several very, very well-qualified people,” said RBC Commissioner Callie Scritchfield. All three commissioners said Pugliese’s experience as a county attorney and the financial considerations made her their pick.
The county was also seeking a Department of Human Services attorney to oversee DHS cases, but only had one applicant with no DHS experience. The commissioners intend to find interim help for immediate cases and then continue their search.
Commissioners agreed to an exemption of the hiring freeze to seek a full-time emergency manager position for 2026. In 2025, the county contracted with Doug Cupp for emergency management services, and his company saw the county through the fires and flooding earlier this year. Cupp has encouraged the county to post the full-time position “at least for the foreseeable future,” said County Administrator Vicky Edwards, due to the current situation with fire potential, lack of snow, possibility of additional debris flows, etc. “We’re at a high risk,” she said. Cupp has agreed to stay on until April to help with the transition.
An uncollared wolf has been confirmed responsible for nine sheep kills in Rio Blanco County, prompting a letter from the county commissioners to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) requesting “timely removal” of the depredating wolf. “CPW drags their feet to giving approval to take this wolf out,” Scritchfield said, noting that the letter is directed toward “upper level management.”
“We support the local [CPW] guys and believe they are doing everything they can,” Overton said.
In regular business in Friday’s meeting the commissioners approved budget resolutions and mill levies. The county’s general property tax mill levy is 9.05 mils and is expected to generate $6.5 million when applied to the 2025 valuation. The Piceance Creek and Lower White RIver Pest Control Districts’ mill levies are set at 2 mils and are expected to generate $120,150 and $157,038, respectively.
Commissioners also approved education and training contracts for public health and DHS, a landfill scale house project, the virtual co-responder consulting program used by the sheriff’s office, a contract with Eide Bailey for assistance in the finance and budget department for $36,600, and temporary easements with 4M Ranch for the upper part of the County Rd. 77 bridge project.
The county also approved a letter of support for the Bureau of Land Management’s June 2026 oil and gas lease sale, noting that “our resource plans and policies definitely support this.”
